cnn national correspondent susan candiotti is outside the event in new york. good morning, susan. >> reporter: good morning, carol. yes, you know, the chances of currently passing a strong gun control legislation appear pretty slim, probably, given what happened earlier this week. senator harry reid, you'll remember, announced that he was dropping the assault weapon ban from the current proposal, before the senate bill. now, senator dianne feinstein says she will introduce it as an amendment, adding that she won't lay down and play dead. so, carol, the gop continues to say, the better idea is to simply better enforce the laws that are already on the books. carol, the debate isn't ending anytime soon. >> doesn't appear to be. what role does the school shooting at newtown play here? >> reporter: well, as you indicated, of course, newtown parents, many of them, will be at this news conference today, standing aside new york's mayor bloomberg, and of course, vice president biden. they've been supporting the president's proposed legislation for that assault weapon b